Electric-lamp socket.



G. B. THUMAL L ELECTRlC LAMP SOCKEYQ APPLICATION FILED rms, 191?.

Patented J uly 9, 1918.

8 run wtoz and GEORGE B. IL HOIMAS, 01

BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIG COMPANY, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUTQA CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICLAMP SOCKET.

Specification of Letters latent.

Pat outed July 9, 1918.

Application tiled February 8, 1913. Serial No. 7471098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gannon B. TnouAs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in.zElectric-Lamp Sockets,- of which the following is a. specification.

y, invention relates to electric lamp sockets andparticularly to pullsockets, the

object of my invention being to provide an indicating device by means ofwhich the position of the soc et switch may be readily ascertained.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is. a 'side elevation ofa pull socket showing my indicatof inone form;

Fig.2 is a side elevation of. thesocket with its inclosing casingremoved;

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan ofside elevation of the indicator; v

Il ig. 5 is a side elevation of the chain ra1;..

Fig. 6,is adetached-perspective of the indicator mechanism parts;

Fig. 7. is a rear and side elevation of the indicator disk;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation in position to operate the anism; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a modification,'and Fig. tially in sectionamsm;

It is sometimes of service to have on a lamp socketan indicator todisclose the position of th'e'socket switch. This is of littleimportance when a' lamp is placed in the socket, but when the socket isused as a plug receptacle and the current thus tapped to another point,it becomes a. matter of convenience and sometimes of importance to knowthe position of the socket switch.

I have-applied m invention in the example shown, to a pu 1 socket. Asillustrated in Fig. 1, the socket casing comprises the usual cap 10 andshell 11. In the latter a showing the rail indicator mechshowing theswitch mechsight aperture 12 of convenient size is cut through which isdisclosed a segment 13 of the indicator disk 14. This disk is fast on aspindle 15 journaled in perforated lug 16 on the spacing bar 17 whichcarries the detachable chain bell 18 in the manner de- 10 is a sideelevation par-' scribed in the l inhbcll Putcnt, Also fast on thespindle 1:7 is mounted 2| ratchet 19, the teeth 0! which lie in the pathof the finger 20 on'tho rhuin mi] 2] as the latter travels back loactuating position under the influence of its return spring 22. On eachfull actuation of the chain and consequently ouch change of position ofthe switch, the indicator disk is thus ad vanced a quarter revolution,four teeth to the ratchet 19.

In order to prevent the rotation of the indicator disk in the wrongdirection, as the finger 20 of the chain nail on the outward tru'vel ofthe chain, rides over the hack of the teeth on the urtui'lting ratchet1.2), I provide the disk 14 with a series of teeth formed for example onthe buck of a plate 23 which is soldered to one face of the'indicatingdisk. Against this plate n detent 24 is pressed by means of :1 spring525. This detent is here shown as a. strap .54 having a head 26 throughwhich freely passes the spindle 15 and in the periphery of whichapertures 23 are cut to receive the teeth and the plate 23. The oppositeend of the strap is onset at 28 and passed through the HP'BI" ture 29 inthe standard which thus holds the detent against. rotation.

Obviously the teeth on they ratchet 1!) may be faced in the oppositedirection, as illustrated at 30 in Fig. 5,), and the actuating lug 3] onthe chain rail oppositely beveled so that it rides over the ratchet, lug30 on its return movement under the influen e of the return spring 22.In this instance the indi cator disk is actuated hf, the posltiw pull ofthe chain and the return spring is thus relieved of the additionalhurrlon otherwise imposed upon it, of actuating the indicator disk.

The current is lcd to one hrnnrh of the socket tl lrough the switch inthe general manner illustrated in the ll nlll cll Intent 565,541. Onewire is connected to terminal 32 which is in electrical contact with thescrew shell 33. The other wire is cormcctctl to terminal 34, from thebase of which c):- temls the switch terminal 35 overlying one of theteeth 36 on the lower hntton 37 of the switch body. The circuit to the(enter contact (not shown) of the socket is established through theswitch piece 38 which has Wings riding the teeth 36 and is provided witha No. fllf-Hlll.

there being series of ratchet notches 39 in which engage the pawl teeth40 struck down from the plate 41 carried on the lower face of theinsulating disk 42. An outwardly extended arm on the latter carries thechain rail 21 with its tongue 20 by means of which the indicator 14 isoperated on each successive movement of the switch piece 38, as will bereadily un'derstood from the explanation above given.

Various other arrangements to accomplish the same end will readilysuggest themselves, and I do not limit myself to the details ofconstruction shown.

I claim as my invention:--

1. An electric lamp socket having line and lamp terminals and a switchmechanism interposed between the same, together with an indicator fordisclosing the position of the switch and means for securing anintermittent engagement between the switch mechanism and indicator foractuating the latter.

2. An electric lamp socket having line and lamp teyninals, an interposedswitch mechanism, an apertured inclosing casing, an indicator showingthe position of the switch and visible through the aperture in thecasing, and an operativeconnection between said indicator and switchmechanism.

3. An electric lamp socket having line and lam terminals, an inclosingcasing, a switch mechanism within the latter and operating meanstherefor extending through the easing, an indicator mounted independentof the switch mechanism and an operative connection between the switchoperating means and the indicator for actuating-the indicatorto .showthe position of the switch.

4. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch piece, an indicatorrotating on=an independent axis and serving to show the position of theswitch, operating mechanism for the switch piece and an operativeconnection between the indicator and said switch mechani m.

5. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch piece, an indicatorrotating on an independent axis at an angle to the axis of the switchpiece and servin to show the on or off position of the switc operatingmechanism for the switch piece and an operative connection between theindicator and said switch mechanism.

6. An electric switch comprising a. rotary switch piece, an oscillatingmember having 'a separative connection therewith for rotating the same,anindlcator serving to show the on or off position of the switch piece,

and intermittent independent operative connection between theoscillating member and indicator, for the purpose described.

7. An electric lamp socket comprising a socket body, an inclosing capand apertured shell casin therefor, an indicator within said casing iutvisible through the aperturcd shell, :1 switch on the socket body andmeans operatively connected therewith for actuating said indicator.

8. An electric lamp socket comprising a socket body, a switch carriedthereby, an inclosing casing comprising a cap and apertured shell and aswitch indicator-visible through the aperture in said shell.

9. An electric switch comprising a switch piece, an operating devicetherefor having a pawl and ratchet actuating connection between saidparts, an indicator serving to show the on or off position of the switchand an independent pawl nd ratchet mechanism for operating saidindicator on-the actuation oi the switch piece.

10. In an electric switch, a switch operating mechanism, an indicatormounted on an independent axis serving to show the on or off position ofthe switch, and a pawl and ratchet connection between the switchoperating mechanism and the indicator.

11. In an electric switch, a switch mechanism having an oscillatingmember, an indicator mounted on an independent axis for showing theposition of the switch and a pawl and ratchet connection between saidoscillating member and indicator for actuating the latter on theactuation of the witch.

12. In a rotary switch, the combination of an insulating base, switchmechanism mounted thereon and including a relatively rotatable switchmember, an oscillating switch operating lever, pawl and ratchetconnection between said lever and the rotatable switch member wherebythe switch member will be rotated with a step by step movement as theswitch lever is oscillated, a rotatably supported switch indicator, andpawl and.

ratchet connection between the switch lever and said indicator wherebyas the lever is oscillated the indicator will be rotated with a step bystep movement corresponding to the movement of the rotatable switchmemher.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence .of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. THOMAS.

Witnesses G. W. Goomuncn, H. M. WICHERT.

